Most of us aspire to lead healthier lifestyles. It’s for this reason that a multi-billion-pound fitness industry exists. But what isn’t often mentioned is that health isn’t something that you build in isolation. In many cases, a healthy lifestyle is one that’s supported by your interpersonal relationships.
If you’re living with a romantic partner, then the chances are good that you can both help one another to stay on the right track when it comes to health and fitness. But what exactly can you do to support one another?
Let’s consider a few concrete and worthwhile steps.
Share Your Visions and Health Goals Together
You can think of your health journey as a little bit like a business project. There are no fixed end goals, but you’ll want to start out by setting out a few objectives and aspirations. These don’t have to be ‘SMART’ goals (which can come later), but rather loose statements of value. This will allow you to buy into a long-term project together, and to decide what steps are worthwhile. I
t might be that you’re worried about physical decline in the years to come, or that you don’t feel good about your well-being in the here and now. In some cases, you might simply want to look amazing – and there’s nothing wrong with that!
What really matters at this stage is that you’re able to articulate your vision and ensure that you’re both on the same page.
Build Habits as a Duo: Accountability, Rituals & Routines
Going on a fitness journey together is better than going it alone, for several reasons. To begin with, you’ll be able to hold one another accountable. When you feel that you don’t want to abide by an agreement to go jogging every morning, the sense of subtle shame might be enough to make you lace up your trainers – even if it’s raining.
There’s also the fact that preparing meals as a couple can reduce your workload. You might collaborate on devising a menu, and then take it in turns to actually prepare the meals.
Finally, you might find that you actually enjoy the process more when you view it as a collaboration. Recent research indicates that healthy changes made by one partner are likely to be copied by the other; thus, your chances of success might be considerably improved when you involve your partner.
Communication, Support and Emotional Safety
When you’re embarking on this kind of project together, you might find that it’s actually the emotional support that matters most. Trying to lose weight, build muscle, overcome an injury, or improve your performance – these are all difficult things. It’s almost inevitable that, at some point, your performance will begin to plateau – or you’ll be tempted to quit.
When you can talk to your partner about the struggle, and listen effectively when they talk to you, you’ll gain new interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution, that you can apply to your relationship more broadly.
Open dialogue about sexual health, including regular screening such as a chlamydia test, is a meaningful way couples can show mutual respect and care for each other’s wellbeing.
Synchronising Nutrition, Movement and Lifestyle Choices
Most of your progress will be determined by the foods that you eat, and the foods you avoid. By sharing the workload when it comes to shopping, cooking, and planning meals, you’ll free up valuable time and mental energy. You’ll also find it easier to cut out negative nutrition-related habits, like alcohol and ultra-processed food.
Tracking, Adjusting and Celebrating Progress Together
If you don’t recognise your milestones and achievements, then your new habits are very unlikely to stick. In fact, the entire enterprise can easily begin to feel like a joyless slog. Tracking your habits and progress as a couple can make it easier to stay on top of how you’re actually performing – just make sure that you don’t seek to punish, or to obsess over small details (unless you enjoy obsessing!)
The UK has recently seen a major surge in gym memberships. If you want to get your new adventure off to a good start, then why not join your local gym together?
You might also enjoy reading more tips in our wellness section here/
